Investigation at the Gay Bar
by pollyglyph
Summary: Following a lead from Kalifa, Kaku and Lucci go searching for information at Water Seven's gay bar.


"Almost thought you'd stood me up," Kaku greets him outside the noisy bar.

Even from outside the music blaring within was near deafening.

"Getting ready," Lucci states simply, as if it sufficed for an excuse.

_How long did getting ready take him?_

"Wearing _that _shirt I see?" Kaku looks at the buttons opened half way down his chest. "Well, it does look good on you after all. Much as I loathe to admit. Though, you always do."

Kaku puts his arm around Lucci's waist. Lucci glares at it, but does nothing further.

Kaku knows exactly what Lucci is thinking. It makes them more believable, but he loathes that Kaku was the one to think to do it first.

"Good thing your personality is repulsive enough to make up for it or I'd be in for a world of trouble," Kaku says. "Not bring Hatori tonight?"

"Of course not."

"Won't it blow your cover though? I thought you were an awkward, shy guy who can't talk without your helper pigeon?"

"Paulie won't be here so it doesn't matter."

"There are other members of Galley-La, you know? And they do have lives outside of work. But whatever."

They get to the front of the queue and are let in through the door.

Lucci immediately shirks him off when they get in. "You could have dressed a little more for the occasion. I thought that was the plan."

"What's wrong with this?"

"Really, a polo shirt and running shoes? And what is that cap for? We're inside."

"Trust me. Fit young men have quite the appeal in the gay community. I'll have them purring and eating out of my hand soon enough."

They approach the bar.

"What'll it be gentlemen?"

"Tequila with ice," Lucci says.

_He always refuses to say on the rocks_, Kaku notes. _He thinks himself above it._

"One for him too," Lucci adds.

"No," Kaku says firmly. He leans past Lucci to the counter. "A glass of water, if you would."

Lucci eyes him. "Get a proper drink."

"I don't like to drink, you know that," Kaku answers. He leans closer so only Lucci can hear. "And drinking on a job's unprofessional to boot."

Lucci scowls and sips his drink in front of Kaku very deliberately.

They stand around at the bar front and take it in turns to scan the room. And while one's on watch, the other listens inconspicuously at the bar front for talk.

Kaku leans in to Lucci again to speak.

"We've been getting a heck of a lot of stares," Kaku says cautiously.

"Because they're interested in you," Lucci states. "Sexually. Turns out you were right, I guess."

"Well I'll be a monkey's uncle," Kaku answers with a smirk. "I wondered if we weren't starting to arouse suspicion just lollygagging at the bar front."

"They won't approach when I'm with you though. They think we're together."

"They do huh? Interesting. You're skilled at reading them."

"Of course I am. But they're all very obvious."

"If you know what to look for maybe." Kaku scopes the room with interest and his gaze settles on a large man looking intently his way. He wasn't unattractive either. "Him?"

Lucci nods back.

"I see," Kaku says curiously.

Lucci slides an arm around him and grips him so aggressively Kaku can almost feel his claw like nails press into flesh. Lucci's gaze remains focused on the stranger as he leans in close to Kaku.

"We're not here so you can get picked up and fucked by some stranger. Kalifa gave us this lead. Stay focused."

"You're so far up yourself you tend to forget that other people can actually be useful," Kaku replies. "I'll fish the information we need from that man."

He pushes Lucci off, and downs his drink, leaving his empty glass on the counter.

"Watch me."

He leaves Lucci at the bar-front, knowing full well Lucci's attention is entirely on him as he walks away. Kaku admits it makes him feel very powerful.

"Excuse me sir?" Kaku starts. "Well, gosh, this is mighty awkward, but I noticed you making eyes at me over there."

"Your boyfriend jealous?"

"Boyfriend?" Kaku laughs.

It only takes the one intentional glance back over his shoulder to Lucci to know that inside the man is raging with classic cat-like possessiveness.

"Lies and slander!" he jokes. "We're not together, don't worry."

He brushes a hand along the man's hair-lined arm.

"Just wondering if you'd care to buy me a drink?"

He glances back at Lucci. He knows the more he can charm this man, the more Lucci's skin will crawl. And by God, does he want Lucci's skin to crawl.

"Sure," the man smiles.

His hand slips to Kaku's back as they head to the bar counter. Kaku stares at Lucci and smirks. Lucci shakes his head and walks off into the crowd.

_Fine, he can go where he likes. _Perhaps if they split up their investigation would mosey along a little quicker anyway.

"Another pint of your draft," the man asks at the bar. "And what can I get you?"

"Make mine a Shirley Temple."

"Sober?"

"An athlete," Kaku replies.

"Nice. Professionally?" the man asks.

"Oh no, a carpenter by trade," Kaku clarifies. "But I'm big into my running. So I like to keep clean. Run the Water Seven Marathon every year."

"Ah I see. Makes sense. Put shit fuel in the tank and the engine won't run very well."

"See, you get it!" he laughs.

He glances about himself looking for Lucci, but can't seem to find him. Somehow, the lack of his brooding responses make the game lose just a little of its bite.

Kaku looks him up and down for show. "Work out yourself?"

"A little."

"I can tell." Kaku touches him. Locks eyes. Smiles. All careful parts of the routine. "Oh hey. I love this song. Want to dance?"

"We just got our drinks."

"So down it." Kaku drinks his drink in one go. "Now you."

He runs his fingers over the man's hand for good measure. Getting him a little intoxicated would make his job easier.

"Sure, alright."

Once he's done, Kaku takes his hand and leads him through the busy dance floor and they find a spot to dance.

He peers around for Lucci's distinct beard or curls. He doesn't spot him, but at least half of Galley-La seems to be scattered about the room. Lulu grinds up suggestively against his boyfriend nearby. If Paulie was here to see, he would need to go seek out Confession in the morning.

"You look distracted," the man starts. "Listen, you're not just dancing with me to make that guy you were with jealous are you?"

"No," Kaku protests, a little more offended than he intends to let on. He checks himself. "Really, if I didn't have to work with that guy I'd stay the hell away from him. But adversity makes strange bedfellows."

"Not literally though?"

"Oh quite literally, once or twice. And I wouldn't advise it."

He reaches up and wraps his arms around the man's broad shoulders, clasping his hands behind his neck. He responds by resting his hands on Kaku's hips.

"This is fun, right?" Kaku laughs. "So, come here often?"

It was time to get down to business.

"Now and then," the man replies non-committedly. "Haven't seen you round here before. Or the guy you're with."

"We usually hang at Blueno's," Kaku explains. He thinks on his feet. "Good friend of ours that we drink with on the regular is so far in the closet a place like this'd give him a heart-attack."

In fact, Paulie's the only one of Dock One's foremen who seems to be missing. Though Kaku's sure he wasn't quite as innocent as he fronted. He was probably at home right now rubbing one out to his fantasies of Mr Iceburg.

"Then go without him."

"And leave a friend behind? Good sir, that's just too cruel!"

His dance partner laughs.

"You sound like a good friend."

"Yeah, we're all tight at Galley-La."

"Oh Galley-La? Sorry, I didn't realise that's where you worked. Galley-La's starting to become a pretty big deal in this city."

The conversation was leading exactly where Kaku wanted it to.

"It is, isn't it? Boy, Mr Iceburg sure has been turning the tables for this city hasn't he?"

"He still is. Heard he was going to run for mayor in the upcoming elections."

"You heard right. A gay mayor that'd be something for the books, wouldn't it?"

"About time." The man laughs.

"Feels weird to be asking this as he's my boss and all. But he ever swing by here?"

Kaku weaves his hips up close against him.

"Back in the day, sure," the man answers.

"Really? With friends or did he pick those up when he got here?" Kaku responds.

"He'd be with people. Maybe they were shipwrights too… God knows a good three-quarters of the shipbuilding community were regulars here."

"Anyone he was _with_, if you get my drift?"

"Hmm." The man pauses for thought. "I mean, don't know for sure, and it was a while ago now. Must be a good few years since he's been in. Suppose Galley-La keeps him busy."

"He is a busy man."

Kaku runs his hands down the man's body and he slips his hands into his back pockets and pulls him closer.

"Are you sure you don't remember?"

"Uh."

Kaku notices the man's jeans growing a little tighter.

"You didn't hear it from me, ok? But a friend of mine knew him quite well. He could probably tell you everyone he's dated in the city."

"That kick-started your memory pretty well," Kaku grins. "What's the fella's name?"

"Favour for a favour."

"Don't worry, I was planning to do you one anyway," Kaku responds. "Want it in a bed or just in one of the stalls?"

"Whichever you'd prefer."

"A gentleman. That's rare these days." Kaku chuckles. "So the name?"

"Sex first, name after."

"Sounds fair enough," Kaku agrees.

"My place or yours?"

"Mine."

He has one last look around the bar as they leave. Lucci's still nowhere to be seen. He shrugs. He's done all the ground work by himself now anyway. Lucci could have the shittiest or wildest night of his dreams for all Kaku cared.

It strikes him though that if Lucci was to pick someone up intent on grilling them, they would be in for some very nasty surprises even if they had a taste for punishment. He wouldn't wish Lucci on anyone.

* * *

He's a decent lover. And he wears protection. Those two points are almost enough alone to make Kaku moan his name, though he realises he never even asked it to begin with.

He shrugs the thought off and lets him keep fucking him, firmly, yet carefully, pressing him deeply into his mattress.

Kaku's orgasm is the best he's had in a long time.

"You're quite skilled." Kaku runs his hands through his chest hair. "If you want to hook up again sometime I'd not be opposed."

"My friend's name is Meza," he says. "He'll tell you what you're looking to hear."

"I wasn't asking," Kaku says, almost a little disappointed he got straight to it. "But thanks for that."

"What're you so interested for though?" he adds. "It's strange, being so interested in your boss's sex life."

"Oh, um." It catches Kaku off his guard a little. "That friend. You know, the one I talked about, the closeted one? He's into our boss. I'm trying to do the guy a solid. Find out whether he might be his type before he makes any big, stupid moves."

"Alright. Adds up."

Something in the way he talks starts to unnerve Kaku a little.

"What're you suspicious of me or something?" Kaku laughs nervously.

"Not overly." He gets up and starts to re-dress. "But all you wanted from me was this name right? That much was obvious. Anyway. Thanks for the fuck. See you around maybe."

"Just like that huh," Kaku replies.

His door slams shut on the stranger's way out.

There were types of coldness that seemed initially quite warm on the surface and that left a chill that felt all the colder for the warmth they'd seemed to promise at first impression.

It spoils what had been such a satisfying orgasm.

* * *

"Meza," Kaku tells Lucci. "Apparently he can tell us what we want to know."

They sit together at a table in the far corner of Galley-La's canteen. Kaku takes a bite of his sandwich.

"What sort of night did you have then?"

"After you left me." Lucci spoons at his soup.

Hatori is back on his shoulder again. The false voice softens him, even if the illusion, to Kaku at least, was quite transparent.

"I got exactly what we came there for," Kaku argues.

"No, you got us a whole new investigation to work on. You aren't as good as you think you are you know? So get down off your high horse."

Kaku seethes quietly and continues eating.

"Anyway. It's a good thing I'm a lot more competent. I found Kalifa there in a booth with Iceburg. Apparently she convinced him to go there for a night out. We got him drunk and he spilled everything."

"Oh really," Kaku says unenthusiastically.

"We know all the names of his past lovers now, so your _Meza_'s a complete waste of time. We'll be hunting these men out now to try to glean more information." He takes a spoonful. "This time, don't get so cocky."

"Paulie's coming, shut up," Kaku hisses.

"What're you two sitting in this corner talking so secretly about?" Paulie laughs and sits down with his tray to join them.

"Croo coo, just our wild night out yesterday with Kalifa and Mr Iceburg at the gay bar."

"The… the gay bar?" Paulie stammers.

"Kaku picked up some strange guy and took him home to sleep with. And he didn't even know his name."

"What? I…"

"Kaku! You… absolute slut."

Lucci takes his tray and leaves Kaku to deal with Paulie's loud chastisement on his own.

This is Lucci's revenge.

Kaku admits he won this time.


End file.
